Railway signaling apparatus



06%. 14, 1930. SPRAY RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS Original Filed May 24. 1927 INVENTOR L.E S ora iii??? TY (Elmira J B E 21 31 Patented Oct. 14, 1930 apparatus, and particularly vision or means for Original application filed May A U ED srAT s PATENT LESTER E. SPRAY, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA,

OFFICE ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION ISWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS mMy invention relates to railwayv signaling to apparatus of the type involving signals having electric lamps. a Y

The present application is a division of mycopending application, Serial No. 193,79 l, filedfMay 24,1927, which has matured into Patent No. 1,748,803, Feb. 25, 1930, for railwayflsignaling apparatus. 2' One fea'ture of my invention is the procaus ing a signal-to give a more restrictive indication when the controlling apparatus for the signal is in concharacter S which as here shown comprises a proceed caution lamp Y,

is controlled by Contact 19 of dition tocause the signal to give a less reshould then he lighted or burned out.

II will describe severalforms of apparatus embodying my invention, outthe novel features thereof in claims.

strictive indication andthe lamp which and will then point In the accompanyingdrawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic View showing. one form of apparatus embodying my invention. Figs.

2gand Bare diagrammatic Views showing my invention.

Similar referencecharacters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring first to vFig. 1, the reference designates a railway. signal lamp G, a main caution lamp Y, an auxiliary and a stop lampR. The signal is controlledby a three-position track relayH and a repeater relay Q. Relay. Q relayH insuch manner that relayQ is energized when relay is energized i n-either the normal or the .7 reverse directiomhut is de-energized when relay H istie-energized; First assuming I that. relay vH is energized in" the normal direction, the. proceed lamp G is lighted by virtueof a circuit which passes from terminal B, through front contact 21 -21 of relay Q, normalc0ntact1818 of relay H,

. and the primary of transformer T ito-term l, When relay His energized in the reverse direction, the primaryof transformer 'j' is supplied with current .by a circuit which-passes fromterminalflthrough front o tact: 21- 21 of 'relay' Q," reverse contact 24,1927, Serial No. 19 Divided and this application filed J which includes hack contact 21 21 modifications of the apparatus shown in Fig. ,1, :and each embodying 3,794. Patent No. 1,748,803, dated February 25, 1930. anuary 3, 1330. Serial No. 418,219.

18 '18 of relay H, andthe primaryjof transformer T to terminal 0. The main caution lamp Y is then lighted by a circuit which passes from the left-hand terminalof the secondary 32of transformer T through an lmpedance 23, and lamp Y to the right-hand terminal of the secondary 32. The value of impedance 23 may be substantially the same as the impedance of lamp Y One terminal of lamp Y is connected with the -middle point of secondary 32, and the other terminal oflamp Y is connected in the circuit for lamp Y between the impedance 23 and the lamp Y. The two terminals of lamp Y are therefore at the same potential, and so this lamp is extinguished. If, however, lamp Y should Journ out while transformer T is energized, the terminals oflamp Y will be at different potentials, and sothis lamp will be lighted. When relay is de-energized, relay Q is likewise tie-energized, and the stop lamp R is then lighted by Virtueof a circuit of relay Q and the primary of transformer T Referring now to Fig. 2, relays H and Q are controlled asin Fig.1. When relay Q is energized, primary 24 of a transformer U is supplied with alternating current through front contact 21-21 ofrelay Q. When rclay H is energized in the normal direction, the proceed'lamp G is'energized .by a cir; cuit which passes from the right-hand terminal of. secondary 25of transformer U, through-animpedance 27 primary of transformer T normal contact 19 19= of relay H, to the left-hand terminal of secondary 26, and from the right-handterminal of secondary 26, throughnormal contact 18 of relay H, to the left-hand terminal of secondary 25. One transformer T is connected in this circuit at a point between impedance 27 and transformer T whereas the other terminal of the primary of T is connected with the right-hand terminalof secondary 26 and terminal of the primary of ,direction, the .circuit for transformer is OPfimdattcon-tact 12%193, and the circuit tor transformer T is closed at contact 19-19". The stop lamp R is controlled in the usual I manner through back contact 21-2l' i re- 3Q V G,'so' that when this lamp becomes lighted. When lay Q,.

Referring nowtoEi-g. 3, the two lamps" G and Y are supplied with currentby two sec ondaries 29 and 30 of a transformer vT, the primary 28 ofiwh'ich 's supplied with alternating current when relay Qis energized. When relay H' isgenergized in the normal direction, the vcircuit for lamp G. is from the fleft hand terminal :of secondary 30, through impedance 31, lamp G, normal contact 18-18% and secondary 29 to the right-hand terminal of secondary-30. One terminal of lamp isconnected .n this circuit at a point between impedance 31and lamp G, whereas the other terminal of lamp Y is. connected in this circuit ata point between secondaries 29' and 30. The ,value of impedance 31'inay be, substantially the same as that of the lamp lamp G. is lighted, the two terminals oflamp Y are at the same potent-i al,,,andthis lamp is extinguished. If lamp G burns out, however, the two terminals of lamp Y are -atdifi'erent potentials, and so relay H is energized in the reverse direction, secondary disconnected from lamp G, and lamp Y is then supplied with current from secondary 30, through impedance 31. 'When relay His d'e-energized, relay@ is also deenergized, and lamp R is then supplied with current through back contact 21- -21 oil y Although I' have herein shown and de scribed onlya few forms of apparatus: embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes 1 and modifications may be made therein within" the scope'of the-appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope ofmy invention,

I Havingthus describedlmy invention, .w-hat'Ic'l aim is:": J a v 1. combination, a railway signal; hav: inga main lamp and a second lamp, a source of current, a second source of current, an -impedance, a circuit including said; first and second sources of-current in series andpassing -fr'om said second source through said impedance and said main lamp" in series to said firstsou rce, a branch path passing from a terminalgin said? circuit between said impedance and said" main "lamp. and thence through said "second" lam to a terminal in said circuit between sai first andsecond 'inga main lamp lighted if said main lamp burns out, and

means controlledvby traffic conditions for controlling said circuit. 7

2. In combination, a railway signal havand a second lamp, a source of current, an impedance, a l circuit including said main lamp and .said impedance as well as said source of current, a :branchpath associated with said circuit and including said secondlamp, whereby said second lamp is normally extinguished but becomes lightedif said main lam burnsout,land means controlled by traffic conditions for controlling said circuit. 7

3. In combination, a railway signalhaving a. main lamp" and a second lamp, a trans former, an impedance, a circuit including said main lamp and sa d impedance as wellas a secondary winding of said v transformer, a branch path associated, with said circuit and including said second lamp, "whereby said second lamp is normally extinguished but becomes lighted if said main lamp burns ut, and means controlled by traffic di the primary windi tions for energizing of said transformer. v

4'. In combination, a railway signal having aimain lamp andjia second "lamp, aitransformer, an impedance, apolarized relay controlled by traffic conditions, a. circuit including said main lamp and said impedance as well as a secondaryWvindingof said transformer and controlled by a polar contact of said polarized relayclosed in a given position, a cuit and including said second lamp, wherebyjsaid second 'lamp is "no rmally extingguished. but becomes lighted if said main lamp burns out, and means forenergi'z'ing the primary winding of'said transformer when said olarized relayis energized,

' 5. In combination, a railway signal-having a main lamp and a second lamppaso'urce'of current, an impedance,- a "circuit including said main lamp and said impedance asjwell branch path associated withisaid ciras said source of current and. controlled by a' contact which is controlled by .trafiic conditions, and a branch path assoc ated with said circuit and including said second lamp,

whereby said second lamp'is normally ext'lnguished" but becomeslighted'if said main lamp burns'outl. "f f.) i

6. In a railwaysignaling system, a light signal comprising a main lamp anda'second lamp, a; transformer, meanslfcontrolled by ,tr afli'c conditions in advance for supplying alternating current to the primaryof said transformer, a circuit for saidjmain lamp including the secondary of said transformer an'dfan impedance same value as having substantially the v the impedance of the" main lamp, one terminal of said second im heing Connec e "Wi said. ncu t; h me: lai

' signal tions main lamp and said impedance, and the other terminal of said second lamp being connected with the middle point of said transformer secondary, whereby said second lamp is normally extinguished but becomes lighted if said main lamp burns out.

In a railway signaling system, a light comprising a proceed lamp and a caution lamp, a transformer having two secondaries, means controlled by traffic condifor supplying alternating current to the primary of said transformer, a relay having normal and reverse positions, a circuit for said proceed lamp closed when said relay is in normal position and including said two secondaries in series and also an impedance, said caution lamp being connected between points of equal potential in said circuit so that the caution lamp is extinguished if the proceed lamp is burning, but is lighted if the proceed lamp is'burned out, and a circuit for said caution lamp closed when said relay is in reverse position and including one of said secondaries.

8.. In a railway signaling system, a light signal comprising'a main lamp and a second lamp, a transformer, means controlled by traflic conditions in advance for supplying alternating current to the primary of said transformer,a circuit for said main lamp including the secondary of said transformer and an impedance having substantially the same value as the impedance of the main lamp, and controlled by a contact which is controlledby traflic conditions, one terminal of said second lamp being connected with 1 said circuit between said main lamp and said 1 guished but becomes lighted if impedance, and the other terminal of said second lamp being connected with the middle point of said transformer secondary, whereby said second lamp is normally extinsaid main lamp burns out. V

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LESTER E. SPRAY. 

